How to Create Better Email Responses With Video & Audio
Let’s face it, some emails are easier to respond to with a short audio or video message than they are with text. That’s why I often answer tech help requests with short screencast videos. It’s also why I include videos in all of my weekly newsletters.
When there’s an email to respond to that needs a delicate touch, a short audio message or video message can be a good way to add a softer element to the email. Following some email etiquette guidelines also helps.
Recording Video in Email
If you’re a Gmail user, there are a couple of Chrome extensions you can use to record new screencast videos right from your inbox. Those are Loom and Nimbus Screenshot.
For a few years now Loom’s Chrome extension has made it possible to record a new video from your inbox. With the extension installed and enabled you’ll see Loom’s icon in the composition window in Gmail. Just click it to record a short video. When your video is complete it will be automatically inserted into the body of your message. Watch this video for a demo.
Nimbus Screenshot is a Chrome, Firefox, and Edge extension that I’ve used for years to make annotated screenshot images and screencast videos. It was recently updated to include an option to record videos directly from your Gmail inbox. A demo of that feature can be seen here.
My friends who prefer to or have to use Outlook for email also have some options for adding videos into their messages. Both of the tools that I mentioned above will provide links that you can include in your Outlook messages. Those who have access to VidGrid may also want to consider trying VidGrid’s Outlook integration.
Recording Audio in Email
One of my favorite new tools in 2021 was a Chrome extension called Mote. With Mote installed you can create and add audio recordings to almost anything in Google Workspace including Gmail. Jump to the sixteen minute mark is this video to see how easy it is to record and add audio to Gmail via Mote.
Outlook users, I haven’t found a reliable solution for recording audio directly in the email composition window (I did try some dodgy extensions, but I won’t recommend them). That said, tools like Vocaroo and Online-Voice-Recorder make it easy to create a short recording and link to it in the body of an email.
Two Webinars Coming Up This Week
A huge thank you to everyone who has purchased a copy of my eBook, 50 Tech Tuesday Tips! This Wednesday I’m hosting a webinar for everyone who has purchased a copy this month (more details available here).
On Thursday Rushton Hurley and I will be co-hosting Two EdTech Guys Take Questions. It’s free and open to all who want to join. You can register here.